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Suspected Islamic State-aligned terrorists have besieged the northeastern Nigerian town of Geidam in Yobe State for a third consecutive day, leaving thousands trapped under a strict military curfew.
Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters engaged troops in an hours-long firefight after attacking an army base outside the Yobe State town early Wednesday morning.
Military sources confirmed that soldiers imposed a round-the-clock lockdown to protect the population of nearly 89,000, as ISWAP fighters remain positioned on the town’s outskirts.
The unexpected curfew has trapped residents indoors and triggered a growing humanitarian crisis for families relying on daily wages.
Resident Abubakar Musa told AFP by phone, “We have been forced to stay indoors since Wednesday by soldiers who warned everyone not to step outside.” At the same time, fellow resident Usman Kabir noted that staying inside without food “has put people in a dire situation.”
Tensions further flared after Geidam deputy political administrator Kaka Bukar Zanna revealed online that soldiers assaulted him and left him with a head injury, stating, “We were not informed about any curfew beforehand, but I was assaulted and injured in the head by soldiers… despite identifying myself to them.”
This latest assault marks another chapter in the 17-year campaign of terror by Boko Haram and ISWAP across northeastern Nigeria.
ISWAP previously captured Geidam in 2021, killing dozens of residents and burning local businesses before military forces reclaimed the area.
According to United Nations estimates, ongoing conflict and terrorist violence in the region have claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced roughly two million people.
